Fruit-picker.



STARS? V`Pe"TEN'` Ff ROY E. WIBLE, 0F KtENDALLVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNQR T0 C. D'. DUFFIELD AND Gr. SCHUTT, BOTH OF KENDALLVILLE, INDIANA.

FRUIT-PICKER.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 13, 1916,

Application filed October 7, 1913. Serial No. 793,898.

To all whom t may concer-n.'

Be it known that I, ROY E. 'W1BLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kendallville, in the countyA of Noble, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulV Improvements in Fruit-Pickers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use thesame. v

This invention relates to fruit pickers and has for an object to provide a device vof this character that will have improved means in the nature of a two-piece'movable jaw each member of which will'have such movement that the fruit will 'be positively detached from the branch without injury and without jerking the pole which usually results in shaking other fruit from the branch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fruit picker which is `extremely Simple and inexpensive in construction, and will be formedof a few strong and durable partsthat will not easily get out of order.

With the abovev objects in view the inven# tion consists of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be made in thevminor details. ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing illustrat-- ing this invention: Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the device open. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the movable jaw with its clamping portion closedrand follower lportion in initial closing position, and also showing in dotted lines the follower portion closed. Fig. 3' is a front elevation of the device with the jaws closed. Fig. 4

is a longitudinal sectional view through theV to the pole 10. i There is a fabric chute 13 secured at the mouth to the jaw, the chute extending'downwardalong the pole as usual. v

The movable vjaw comprises a clamping portion 14 and a followerportion 15, both of these'portions initially moving together until the clamping portion binds the fruit within the iixed jaw, the follower portion then moving up within the inclosure of the clamping portion anddislodging the fruit and at the same time forcing the same into the chute. In constructing these parts, the follower portion is formed of a single length of ,wire bent substantially U-shaped ywith the terminals directed outwardly as shown at 16and journaled in eyesl? formedat the lower corners of the stationary jaw, one of the terminalsbeing directed upwardly and forming a crank 18 to which-is attachedray pull rod 19 that extends downwardly along the pole and is terminally equipped with a sleeve 20 which slidably fits on the pole,

the sleeve and attached at theupper end to thel pole to normally'hold the follower portion open and extending at substantially a right angle to the fixed jaw.v A plate 22 is connected at the edges to the sides of Vthe follower and forms a closure vthe purpose of which'will presently appear. f

The clamping portion of the movable jaw is formed from a single length of wire bent U-shaped andV provided at the terminals with hingeeyes 23 whichencircle the gudgeons 16 of the follower portion, one of the terminals being directed to form a recltherev being a helical'spring' 21 attached to tangular stop finger vwhich engages acrossv and underneath one side of the follower' portion asshown at 24, while the otherter-v minal is directed upwardly along the crank 18 as shown at 25 and is attachedterminally to the crank by means of a helical Spring 26. The finger 24 is depressed by the foll lower portion whenthe latter is openedvby its controlling spring 21 with a resultant opening of the clamping portion to extend at an angle of about '45 degrees more or less from the open follower portion, while the spring 26 serves to hold the clamping portion rin this position.

In operation the device is elevated until the fruit to be picked is disposed within the j inclosures of and between the fixed jaw 11 and clamping portion 14 of the movable jaw. The pull rod 19 is now pulled down whereby the crank 18 is rocked down with a resultant rocking of the follower portion 15 of the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw, the clamping portion 141 of the movable jaw being simultaneously carried with the follower portion by means of its helical spring connection 26 with the crank. The clamping portion will eventually arrive at and conform to the contour of the fixed jaw whereby the stem of the fruit is clamped between the tops of both of thesefjaws with the fruit lying within the inclosure of the mouth of the chute. Upon continued downward movement of the pull rod the clamping action of the portion 111 will be gradually increased by tensioning'of the spring 26 and the follower portion will be rocked into the inclosure of the fixed portion of the movable jaw as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 whereby the above mentioned closure plate 17 impinges against the fruit and dislodges the same from its stem and at the same time forces the latter into the chute. Upon the pull rod being released the parts of the movable jaw are immediately returned to normal position by their controlling springs.

lt will thus be seen that with the above described device there is no necessity foi` jerking the pole downward after the fruit hasV been disposed within the open mouth of the sack, and that the picking of the fruit will be accomplished without shock or jar to the branch so that the other fruit on the branch is not shaken off. It will further be seen that I have provided an extremely simple, durable and inexpensive fruit picker which will be formed of a few parts that will not easily get out of order.

lVhat is claimed, is l in a fruit picker, a fixed aw, a clamping liaw provided with a crank, a follower journaled in said fixed jaw and supporting said clamping jaw for movement toward and away therefrom, a crank formed on the follower, said follower being movable toward the fixed jaw simultaneously with the clamping jaw and independently of said clamping jaw upon engagement of the latter with the fixed aw, and a spring operatively connecting` the crank portions of the follower and clamping jaw for gradually increasing the clamping action of the latter during independent movement of the follower in the direction of the fixed jaw. Y

In testimony whereof,'I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ROY E. VVIBLE. lVitnesses RILEY E. SMITH, GEORGE W. SMITH.

Gope o this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner et Entente,

Washington, D. C. 

